Time switch



Jan. 29 1924. 1,482,178

G. ZINZEL TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 17. 1922 4 Shets-Sheet 1 Jan. 29, 1924. 1,482,178

G. ZINZEL TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 17, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 29, 1924. 1,482,178

G. ZINZEL TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 17, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1: oI- F I2 '7 I ,1 0'3 J Jan. 29 1924. 1,482,178

G.HNZEL TIME SWITCH Filed Feb. 17, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED sraras PATENT OFFICE,

GEORGE ZINZEL, 01' SCBANION, PEN NBYLVANIL TIME SWITCH.

Application fled I'ebruary 17, 1922. Serial K0. 587,225.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ZINZEL, a citizen of the United States residing at Scranton, in the county of Lao awanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Time Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention aims to provide a simple form of time controlled switch, whereby the lights in a building may be extinguished at any advance time, automatically, the construction of the device being such that a standard form of alarm clock mechanism may be employed to advantage.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance 'the utility of devices of that type to which the invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the. description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention.

' shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanyin drawings:

Figure 1 shows in ront elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a rear elevation; Figure 3 is an elevation wherein the device is viewed edgewise; Figure 4 is a longitudinal section wherein parts appear in evation; Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, the line 44 in Figure 5 indicatin the cutting Ian on which Fi ure 4 is ta en; Figure 6 1s a section on the ine 6-6 of Figure 5.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided a support, which, preferably, is in the form of a box-like frame 1, havin a front opening 2 and a rear opening 3. he numeral 4 marks the casing of an alarm clock, of standard and known construction, the casing being located within the frame 1 and extending outwardl through the front opening of the frame, t e casing beini se cured at 5, in an suitable way to the ack of the frame 1. ordinary alarm clock mechanism ma be used, the cost of the device may be cut own appreciably, it being necessar merely for the manufacturer touse a simp e alarm clock which may be purchased at trifling cost, as

11 view of the fact that andistinguished from providing a specially made and ex ensive time mechanism.

In view 0 the fact that the clock is of known construction, the descri tion of the mechanism of the clock may shortened accordingly, and only such parts thereof are referred to as enter into combination with parts hereinafter described. The clock, as usual, comprises a main dial 6, the hour harig a aring at 7, and the minute hand at is shown at 8, and the setting stem for the time train at 9, these elements being prolonged rearwardl through the opening 3 in the back of the rame 1.- The regulator is shown at '10 and is aceemible through the opening 3.

The frame of the clock is shown at 11 and carries the alarm train, the alarm train being, in this invention, the actuating train whereby the switch, (hereinafter described) is actuated and controlled.

The operatin train embodies a winding shaft 12, journa ed in the frame 11. A gear wheel 14 is loose on the winding shaft 12, but is connected thereto by a pawl and ratchet mechanism 15. The numeral 16 marks a driving s ring, one end of which is secured to the c ock frame 11, the other end of which is secured to the ratchet of the pawl and ratchet mechanism 15, in the usual way, the construction being such that the spring may be put under tension by rotating the windingshaft 12, the spring then reacting to drivethe operating train.

The ear. wheel 14' meshes with a pinion '18 carried by a shaft 19 journaled in the frame 11. 1 Agear wheel 20 is mounted on theshaft 19 and meshes with a pinion 21 on a shaft 22 journaled in the frame 11, the shaft 22-carrying a star'wheel 23 adapted.

to coact with a rocker 24 on a shaft 25 journaled in the frame 11, the shaft 25 carrying an arm 26 provided with a forwardly extended rojection 27. The arm 26 is the part which carries the striker in an alarm h winding stem for the time train clock, but, in the present invention, the

striker is removed, and the arm 26 is bent to form the projection 27, it being necessary,

ing train is denoted by the numeral 31 and is mounted for rotation in tire frame-11, the shaft projecting rearwardly through the opening 3 in the frame 1. At its forward end, the settin shaft 31 carries the usual hand 32 adapte to cooperate with a supplemental dial 33 inscribed on the main dial 6. At its forward end, the setting shaft 31 can ries a disk 75, from which a'radial finger 34 projects. The finger 34 is adapted to cooperate with a cam notch 35, formed in the outer end of a collar 36 secured to a ear wheel 37, mounted for rotation upon t e setting shaft 31 and mounted to slide longitudinally of the said shaft, the angle of the spring latch 29 being shdable on t e shaft 31, and the hub of the gear wheel 37 hearing against the angle of the spring latch 29.

The clock mechanism includes the usual time train which actuates the hands 7 and 17. It is not necessary to show the entire time train, since no novelty is claimed therefor. Let it sufiice to say that the time train comprises a pinion 38 meshing with the gear wheel 37, and the gear wheel 39 whereby rotation is imparted to the pinion 38.

The device forming the subject matter of this invention may be resolved logically into two constituent mechanisms to wit, a time controlled operating train, and a switch mechanism. In View of the foregoing, and since the operatin train is of known and standard construction, the description will be suspended at this place, to trace out the functions of the various parts of the operating train.

The setting shaft 31 is rotated until the hand 32, cooperating with the supplemental dial 33, marks the time at which the lights are to be extinguished, the finger 34 resting against the end of the collar 36 in spaced relation to the notch 35, circumferentially of the collar, the collar 36 and the gear wheel 37 bein slidable rearwardly on the shaft 31, the hu of the gear wheel 37 springing the latch 29 rearwardly, until the latch engages the detent arm 28 and holds the operating train against movement, responsive to the driving spring16. When the time train has moved to a predetermined position, represented by the location of the hands 7 and 17 on the main dial 6, and by the position of the hand 32 on the supplemental dial 33, the gear wheel 39 and the pinion 38 of the time train will have rotated the collar 36, through the instrumentality of the gear wheel .37 until the notch 35 in the collar is alined with the finger 34 on the setting shaft 31. Thereupon, the latch 29 springs forwardly, and is disengaged from the detent arm 28, the gear wheel 37 and the collar 36 sliding outwardly on the shaft 31, the finger bein received in the notch 35 in the collar. The operating train now is set free, and motion is transmitted from the spring 16 to the ear wheel 14, the pinion 18, the shaft 19, te gear wheel 20, the pinion 21, the shaft 22,'the star wheel 23, and thence to the rocker 24 on the shaft 25, the rocker cooperating with the star wheel, the shaft 25, together with the arm 26 and its projection 27, being oscillated. The operating train will continue to run until a part 49, shown best in Figure 5, and hereinafter described, is raised and interposed in the path of the projection 27 on the arm 26.

Passing to a description of the switch methanism, it may be stated that a block or bracket 40 is mounted on one side portion of the frame 1. A guide 41 extends upwardly along the bracket 40 and is provided with a flange 42, connected by a pivot element 43 with the bracket, the construction being such that the guide can swing on the bracket 40 in a direction parallel to the cutting plane in Figure 5. The numeral 44 designates a retractile spring, one end of which is secured to the bracket 40, the other end of the spring being secured to the guide 41 above the pivotal mounting 43 of the guide. Swinging movement of the guide 41, responsive to the spring 44, is limited by a stop pin 45 which, being mounted in the bracket 40 is adapted to engage the outer edge of the flange 42 as shown clearly in Figure 5. The guide 41 extends upwardly into the clock casing 4, through an opening 46 fashioned in the clock casing. A rack bar 47 is mounted for right line reciprocation in the guide 41, the guide being cut away, as at 48 in Figure 5, so that the gear wheel 14 of the operating train may mesh with the rack bar. Adjacent to its upper end, the rack bar 47 carries the part of projection 49, hereinbefore alluded to and adapted to coact with the projection 27 of the arm 26 which is carried by the shaft 25. On its outer side, the guide 41 is cut away, as at 50 for the reception of an operating 'rod 51, held on the rack bar 47 by a lock nut 52, or otherwise. The operating rod 51 is provided with a knob 53, disposed outside of the box-like frame 1, the rod 51 being adapted to move vertically in registering slots 54 formed in the side of the frame 1 and in a plate 55 which is attached thereto, the element 55 serving as a wear plate for the knob 53.

- To the bottom portion of the box-like frame 1, an insulating block 56 is secured. A switch member 57 is superposed on the block 56, as is a second switch member 60. A switch lever 58 is pivoted at 59 to the switch member 57 and is adapted to be moved downwardly and upwardly, into and out of engagement with the switch member 60, as indicated in Figure 5. Securing elements 61 unite the switch members 57 and with the block 61, and connect the block to the bottom portion of the box-like frame 1, the securin elements passing through in sulating thim les 62, carried by the bottom portion of the frame 1. On the lower ends of the securin elements, binding nuts 63 or their equiva ents are mounted, the binding nuts being adapted to hold the conductors 64 of a hghtin circuit. An insulating link 65 is connected by a pivot element 66 to the free end of the switch lever 58, a pivot element 67 connecting the link 65 to the lower end of the rack bar 47. A retractile spring 68 is shown, the lower end of this spring being mounted on the pivot element 67, and the upper end of the sprin being anchored, as at 69, to the bracket or b ock 40.

Supposing that the operating train, including the ar wheel 14, is at rest, the guide 41 ma e swung on its pivotal mounting 42, to isengage the rack bar 47 from the gear wheel 14, the guide being swung, as aforesaid, and the rack bar being carried downwardly, through the instrumentality of the operating rod 51 and the knob 53 thereon, the spring 44 swinging the guide 42, and the rack bar 47, until the rack bar meshes again with the gear wheel 14 as shown in Figure 5, the rod 51 being at the lower end of the slot 54, as shown in solid line in Figure 5. When the rack bar47 is moved downwardly, the spring 68 will be put under tension and the link 65 will swing the switch lever 58 downwardly until the switch lever cooperates with the switch member 60, the circuit of which the conductors 64 constitute a part being closed and the la s in the said circuit being lighted. The parts will be held in the positions shown in solid line in Figure 5, because the rack bar 47 is held by the spring 44 in engagement with the gear wheel 14, the operating train, of which the gear wheel 14 constitutes a part, being at rest.

The way in which the operating train is set free, has been described hereinbefore, and it may be remarked briefly at this point that when the hands -7 and 17 of the clock mark the predetermined time, the operating train, including the gear wheel 14 will be put into motion, the rack bar 47 being raised, and the switch lever 58 being moved out of engagement with the switch member 60 whereupon the lighting circuit will be opened. The function of the spring 68 is to aid the rack bar 47 in its upward move' ment, thereby taking the large portion of the work off the driving spring 16 which actuates the operating train. The rack bar 47 moves upwardly, responsive to the gear wheel 14, until the projection 49 on the rack bar engages the projection 27 on the arm 26 of the shaft 25 whereupon motion in the operating train will cease, the rack bar 47 no longer moving upwardly.

Although in the fore oin description, it has been pointed out t at t e switch lever 58 is moved to open position with respect to the switch member 60, b the action of the ear wheel 14 on the rac bar 47 it will be 0 vious that the circuit may be opened by hand, the rack bar 47 being moved 'out of mesh with the gear wheel 14, and being elevated, by means of the rod 51 and the knob 53.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, an operating train comprising a gear wheel; spring means for operatin the train; timecontrolled mechanism for olding the train releasably against movement responsive to the spring means; a rack bar; means for mounting the rack bar for transverse swinging movement, into an out of engagement with the gear wheel; means under the control of an operator forimparting transverse swinging movement to the rack bar at any time to release it from engagement with the gear wheel; a switch; and means for connecting the switch with the rack bar.

2. In a device of the class described, an

operating train comprising a gear wheel; spring means for operatin the train; timecontrolled mechanism for olding the train releasably against movement responsive to the spring means; a rack bar; means for mountihg the rack bar for transverse swinging movement, into and out of engagement with the gear wheel; sprin means for holding the rack bar in mes with the gear wheel; means under the control of an operator for moving the rack bar at any time to release it from engagement with the gear wheel out of enga ment with the gear wheel; a switch; an means for connecting the switch operatively with the rack bar.

3. In a device of the class described, an operating train comprising a gear wheel; spring means for operatin the train; timecontrolled mechanism for olding the train releasably against movement responsive to the spring means; a rack bar; means for mounting the rack bar for transverse swing ing movement, into and out of engagement with the r wheel; means under the control of an operator for imparting transverse swinging'movement to the rack bar at any time to release it from engagement with the ar wheel; a switch; means for connecting t e switch operatively with the rack bar; and spring means cooperating with the rack bar to assist in the movement of the rack bar when the rack bar is in mesh with the gear wheel.

4. In a device of the class described, a support; a rack bar; means for mounting the rack bar on the su port. for swinging movement and for longitudinal movement; spring means for imparting longitudinal I movement to the rack bar; spring means for imparting swinging movement to the rack bar in one direction; means under the control of an operator for imparting swinging movement to the rack bar in an opposite direction at any time to release it from engagement with the gear wheel; a switch on the support; and means for connecting the switch operatively with the rack bar.

5. In' a device of the class described, a support; a guide mounted to swing on the support; spring means for swinging the guide in one direction; means under tlm in the guide; a switch; means for connecting the switch to the rack bar; and spring means for assisting in the movement of the rack bar when the rack 'bar disposes the switch in open position.

7. In a device of the class described, an operating train comprising a ear wheel and a shaft mounted for oscil ation; spring means for operating the train; an arm on the shaft; time-controlled mechanism for holding the train releasably' against movement responsive to the spring means; a rack bar; means for mounting the rack bar for control of an operator for swinging the transverse swinging movement into and out guide in an opposite'direction at any time to release it from engagement with the gear wheel; a rack bar mounted for reciprocation in the uide; a switch on the support; and means or connecting the switch operatively with the rack bar. Q

6. In a'devi'ce of the class described, a support; a guide mounted to swing on the support; spring means for swinging the gulde in one direction; means under the control of an operator for swinging the guide in an opposite direction at any time to release it from engagement wlth the gear wheel; a rack bar mounted for reciprocation of meshwith the gear wheel; means for imparting transverse swinging movement to the rack bar; means on the rack bar and cooperating with the arm to stop the movement of the train res onsive to the spring means; a switch; and mechanism for connecting the switch with the rack bar.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

- GEORGE ZINZEL.

Witnesses:

, ARTHUR G. Don,

CHAS. F. Homom. 

